The Demise of Sodom

Genesis 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS

Abraham’s nephew, Lot, lived in the wicked city of Sodom. Because of the city’s vile nature, God determined to pour out His wrath. After the Lord told Abraham about the impending judgment, he pleaded for the Lord to spare the city. Abraham’s conversation with the Lord ended with God agreeing to spare the city if He found only ten righteous people within the city of Sodom. Interestingly, Abraham started with the number fifty but stopped when he reached ten. Abraham obviously believed that at ten people he had gone low enough to spare the city? Abraham believed that Lot and his family (his wife, married daughters, sons-in-law and unmarried daughters) would provide the number necessary to escape God’s pronounced judgment. Abraham believed he could depend upon Lot to instruct his family in righteousness which would then prevent the impending doom. Surely God would find ten righteous, even if He looked no further than Lot’s family. In the end, the city of Sodom was destroyed and only Lot and two daughters escaped alive. The inhabitants of the city and the rest of Lot’s family were destroyed. Sin brought God’s attention upon Sodom, but an unreliable Lot sealed their fate.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): Have you ever felt uncomfortable when you were around people that you did not know? Imagine that a new family with children your age visits church. Would you smile at them, maybe shake hands and tell them your name? Would you invite them to come with you to your Sunday School and sit by them? Would this friendliness encourage them to feel welcome and maybe come visit again?

• Many people lost their lives in Sodom. How important was it for Lot to be dependable and to be a good witness for the Lord? What did Lot’s unfaithfulness cost him personally?

PRAYER THOUGHTS

• Ask God to help you value the importance of being dependable.

• Pray that the Lord will give you a burden to be able to help those who are counting on you.

SONG: Bringing in the Sheaves

Pastor Andrew Ray

Devotions on Faithfulness